It will be fine
by MairiePeony
Summary: Maya Hart suddenly gets really sick. She is willing to fight, but for how long? Her friends support her in every way they can, and that leads to beautiful results. Warning: Cancer {Lucaya- Rilaya}
1. Chapter 1

_Day one._

Her day couldn't be worse. In the morning she slept through the alarm, and was almost to late for the metro.

Then she spilled hot coffee over herself _and_ Lucas, not to very romantic, and then she got a C in Spanish, one of her favorite classes.

But it was going to be worse.

During recess the gang was sitting together like always, and they were discussing colleges.

"NO!', Zay yelled, causing Maya to yet again spilling her drink, but this time just on the table.

"What no?', Farkle said. "Colombia University is a really good one. And great for your resume!"

"Yeah, but Farkle, not all of us are solid A students."

"I am', Farkle said.

"I am', Riley copied.

"Shut up', Lucas complained. "And Maya, sweety, stop spilling drinks."

"Sorry', she said laughing, trying to clean it up.

"Maya, are you okay? You look a little pale."

"Yeah, I'm just really tired. And I haven't eaten this morning."

"And now! You barley touched your lunch', Farkle said. "Maybe that's a good thing, because I could have swear that my lasagna contained a fair layer of mold." He signed at the very white pile of gross looking pasta.

"Oh god, Maya, your not like dieting or something"

"Please, you know how much I love food Riles. Dieting isn't something for me. I think I'm just catching the flu or something. Better not kiss me anymore, Ranger Rick.', she said, while the bell rang.

He stood up, quickly planted a little kiss on her lips, and said "To late!", before running away. "I'm going to my locker. See you guys in English!"

He followed Farkle and Zay, who were going to do the same, Maya guessed.

"So, you and Farkle, still awkward?', she asked her best friend, while trowing away her spilled lunch.

"Yeah. We didn't had the chance to talk about the date. Oh, Maya, we were both so nervous! What if our hole friendship is ruined?"

"Relax, Riles, you and Farkle were crushing all over each other ever since 9th grade. It'll be fine."

Together they quickly walked to their English class, for they were almost to late.

They took their places, and chatted a little bit before the bell rang and their friends came sprinted into the class.

"Miss Slangs, it wasn't our fault', Zay yelled. "We-hey, were is the teacher?"

"Late, as usual', Maya answered, turning backwards to her friends. "Why are you guys late?"

Farkle looked very bitterly at Lucas. "Well, mister Lucas couldn't find his books-"

"-because they were already in his bag', Zay finished.

"Cute when you finish each other sentences', Riley laughed, but it quickly stopped when she looked at her best friend. "God, Maya, you nose!"

"Shit!" she didn't realized her bleeding nose until she and her new shirt were covered in blood.

Lucas quickly handed her a tissue, but her bleeding nose was getting worse.

"Guess it's not you lucky day, hm"

"Not really no. This feels just like when Harry got his bloody nose in part six."

"Geek', Zay declared. She laughed.

* * *

"Hi Mom! Hi Shawn!', she yelled, dropping her bag (it was light when you don't actually take books home) and crushed on the couch.

Her mom came in, with her little baby sister, Hazel, on her arms.

"Hey baby girl, Shawn is not home. Can you hold you sis- is that blood on your new shirt?"

Maya grabbed her sister. "Yes, I got really heavy nosebleed at school. It wouldn't stop for a half hour."

"Again? That is the second time this week. Maybe we should call the doctor.', she said, while cleaning up some things.

"No,no, mom! Honestly, I'm fine."

Her mother stopped, looked at her daughter, studied her.

"Are you sure? I mean, you never got a nosebleed. Never!"

"I'm. Fine."

"If you get another nosebleed, I'm calling him."

She put Hazel in her crib. "I'm gonna take a shower."

She walked to the bathroom. Minutes later, she was standing in back in the living room, standing in her towel.

"Mom, have you seen my razor?"

"Yes, I put it in the cabinet under the sink, sweetheart."

Maya turned to walk back to the bathroom. "Stop."

"What', Maya asked.

Her mother walked towards her. "Your back is all bruised."

We heard the front door of our apartment open and close, and Shawn yelling "Hey!"

"We are in the hallway', mom yelled back.

Shawn came is, babbling to Hazel, who he hoped was starting to babble back.

Hazel is two now, and she wasn't said a single thing. Not even babbling. So Shawn en mom were getting scared that something was wrong with her.

"Shawn, take a look at this."

"Wow, Maya, who did this? Is someone hurting you?"

"No', she simply answered.

"Maya..."

"No, really! I don't know how I got these bruises."

"I am calling the doctor.', mom said, walking away. "Final straw."

"Mom, no, you know how much I hate doctors."

Yeah, like that argument was stopping her mom.

The next day her mom told her that Maya didn't had to go to school in the morning that day.

When Maya was eating breakfast with the Matthews, and she told them that she wasn't going to school until 12 o'clock.

"Why not', her very concerned friend asked.

"Nothing you-" Maya poked her nose "-need to worry about. It's probably just anemia. I get some pills, they tell me to eat a lot of spinach and syrup and I'm back to normal."

Maya looked at her phone. "Oops, I have to go. Thanks for the breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews. See ya in school, Riles. Bye, Auggie!"

And gone was she.

* * *

It was almost 2 o'clock, and no word from Maya, so Riley was getting really concerned.

"What if something happened?', she asked her friends.

"Relax, Riley, Maya is probably just sitting at home, to tired to go to school', Lucas said calmly.

"Yeah', Farkle agreed. "You know Maya, she hates school. She is probably taking advantage of the situation. Maya is going to be fine."

But then they all got a text from Maya.

 _Meet me at Topanga's after school._

* * *

They were all sitting at Topanga's, in silence. Nobody knew what to say.

Maya just took a deep breath.

Lucas put his head in his hands.

Riley was doing her best not to cry.

"So... Leukemia."


	2. Chapter 2

_Day 6_

She remembered her friends being real sad. She remembered her parents being sad.

Maya wasn't. Not the first days. She didn't really realized what happened. She didn't really felt sick.

She was more angry. Angry at her own body, who was turning against her. Angry at the doctor for telling to her.

It will forever be imprinted about how she told Maya.

She was sitting with her mom and Hazel in the doctors office.

The doctor's assistance let us in, but the doctor was still having a lunch break.

They were here this morning. They told the doctor about the bruises, nosebleed, about Maya being tired all the time, and collapsing four times.

The doctor didn't trust is was just anemia and she wanted that Maya had her blood tested immediately.

Urgently her blood was researched. Maya, and her mother and sister, had to wait in the waiting room all day. She had her phone, ready to text Riley that there was something wrong, but she couldn't.

Her friend, who she would protect from all costs, didn't need to be more worried about her, without a good cause.

She wanted to text Lucas. They had been going out for a little bit now, two months, she guessed.

They didn't really keep track. For years now they liked each other, but never really for the chance to be something.

First there was the triangle, but Riley backed out, because she realized that she could move on from Lucas. Maya couldn't. Lucas couldn't from Maya either.

But just when they were about to express their true feeling towards each other, Maya met a guy. Not long after that Lucas met a girl. They both thought they were in love with that person.

But when they were at a party, and both a little bit (very much) drunk, they told each other that they loved each other. And of course, as drunk as they were, hooked up.

A very romantic beginning. So awkward. But it turned to much fun and love and happiness. They went on dates, very fun and special ones, they hanged out with each other. They even did homework together, and for Maya, that was very difficult.

Still, that was only two months ago. Lucas didn't need the extra worry either. Not if it was nothing serious.

But back to the doctors office.

Finally the doctor came in. She shook hands again, and she sat behind her desk. She was holding a file and had a expression on her face like she ate something really spicy.

Then she said a bunch of medical things. Something about white blood cells, bone marrow and eventually, Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

She heard her mother burst into tears.

At that time, Maya didn't really knew what that meant. All she understood was leukemia. Cancer.

Immediately pictures of bold people flew through her head. She didn't want to go bold. She loved her hair. Riley loved to do her hair. Riley. How was she going to tell her. And Lucas. And Farkle. And Zay. How was she going to tell her friends that she was going to die? Well, if she was going to die.

"Maya?', the doctor was saying impatient.

Maya was sucked back into the real world. "I'm sorry, what?"

"We are going to take some bone marrow, to be a hundred percent sure. Is that okay with you?"

She looked at her mother, who was having a really hard time.

One thing is to hear you have cancer. Another is to hear your daughter has cancer.

"Now?"

"No. Tomorrow.', the doctor stayed friendly, but with sadness in her eyes. Like she wanted Maya to feel sad. But Maya didn't feel anything. Not angry, not yet. Not sad. Not sick. Not happy. Just, nothing.

"You have to bring your pajamas, and maybe stuffed animal and a book?"

Maya snapped. "I'm seventeen, not seven."

The doctor ignored her and handed her mom some tissues and a few pamphlets. "Anything you need to know about ALL (short for Acute lymphoblastic leukemia), the treatment, things to know for parents, etc."

She took over Hazel, who was quiet as ever and was of course to young to realize her sister was probably dying. All she did was looking at her big sister with a smile and showed Maya the shiny keys her momma gave her.

"Tomorrow, 9 o'clock, report at the desk, they will guide you. I am not going to lie, this is some heavy stuff. Taking bone marrow is painful, and you have to recover in the hospital for another 6 days."

"Six days?', She asked.

The doctor nodded. Maya doesn't like her. She doesn't know why.

"The operation is very hard and painful, you are going to need your rest. After that, you are probably going to have chemo therapy. Maybe even bone marrow transplantation? You know what that is, right?"

"Yes." I've seen my sister's keeper. Also, I'm not stupid.

Maya grabbed her moms hand. "Mom, I am going to be fine."

So when she got home, they told Shawn. He had to a really heard time hearing it, and had to sit down for a little while. Her mom told Maya that she didn't need to go to school today, but just stay home and watch a movie or something. After school she told her friends.

Maya didn't want to, she wanted them to still see me as she really is. But she had no choice, she guessed.

She was going to get all bald and shit, so yeah, they would find out eventually. And it was best if them heard it from Maya self, in real person.

She told them that she wanted their friends to still see her as she really was, as Maya Hart, and not as a petty case, someone who was dying (at that moment her best friend made a weird little squirrel noise). She told them, in a hard way, that if they got tired of her, that they just had to go away.

It was hard to say it and to hear it, but it was Maya's biggest fear. Losing her friends. Losing her boyfriend. Losing her best friend. And not when she died, but when they got tired to her. Better just come straight about it, than ignoring it.

But they all assured her, it took all day, that they weren't going to leave her side. And that made her really happy.

The next day she had the operation.

After waking up from her narcosis, she realized what her annoying doctor was talking about. Because her back hurt so much, even through her painkillers, that she cried for hours.

Her mother had to work (when she married Shawn she didn't had to work as hard as she used to, but still had too), but Shawn could stay with her, although he didn't knew what to do to comfort her. He just hold her hand and watched TV until her friends came from school, just like the next couple of days she was staying in the hospital.

On the second day, she met Doctor Fitzherbert, but they called her Doc. He was just like a big fluffy bear, with a beard and tattoo's. He was going to be her doctor through her battle.

She liked Doc immediately. Maya could tell that he could break the rules a little bit, if that made his patients happy. And he wasn't going to sugarcoat things. And treat her like a teenager, not like a child.

He was also the one that confirmed the cancer. Well, the chances she had cancer were pretty high, but still, hearing it official, was as much painful as having your bone marrow removed.

Although she was in great pain, tired and heavily sedated, she enjoyed having her friend over in her little hospital room.

They told about things that had happened at school, teachers, students, all the gossip.

Not all of them could come every day, but her friends made sure that she was never alone.

On Thursday, they all came.

On Friday, only Farkle and Zay came, Riley had cheerleader practice and Lucas had a honk ballgame he couldn't miss.

Zay had sprained his ankle, so he couldn't join the game.

Lucas and Riley tried to come in the evening, but had to argument with the nurse, who wouldn't let them in because the visiting hours were over. She still wouldn't let them in.

On Saturday, everyone came. They brought food (pizza, Maya's favorite) and cards, and hanged out all they. They hadn't anything better to do, they told Maya, which wasn't true. They knew how much this meant to her, so they cancelled all their plans, with no regrets.

On Sunday, only Riley and Lucas came. They talked all day and it was really fun if Maya wasn't in such pain.

On Monday only Lucas came, because they wanted some time alone. They mostly kissed, but also talked about their future.

"You don't have to stay with me, you know. I would understand if you wanted to break up with me."

He brushed a hair out of her face and told her to never say something like that ever again. And that if they even offered him gold or a Mustang in order to leave Maya, he wouldn't.

On Tuesday, Riley and Farkle came, proudly announcing their relationship.

Maya was supposed to take it easy and stay calm in order for her to heal, but she really couldn't. She was so exited and wanted to hear every detail about what happened.

And today, Wednesday, she finally got to go home. Before she left, Doc told her about his plans with her, the chemo therapy and the shitload that came with it.

But she told him that she was prepared to fight.

* * *

 **Okay, second chapter upp. And holy shit. Thank you so much for the reviews/follows/fave! It means so much to me! Please leave a review, because I'm dying to know what you think of this story/chapter! Have a very nice day!**


	3. Chapter 3

_day 14_

The first chemo session was so hard. Her mother and Riley came with her, and at that moment Maya felt how sick she was.

She was sweating, she was trowing u, she was moaning, she was having a really bad time.

Maya was already tired, she couldn't sleep that night. All night she was turning and spinning, worried about the chemo session.

But at that moment, when a nurse stuck a needle in her arm and connected to the liquid filled bag above her, she felt how sick she was.

It was horrible, and she was already tired of fighting. How much she hated it, how much she wanted to ignore that fact, she almost didn't want to fight anymore.

But she thought about her Ranger Rick, her Sundance, her Hopalong, and the beautiful and thrilling future they were going to have. She already pictured them sitting in college, attending parties, going on vacations together. Maybe a road trip with Zay, Farkle and Riley? Of just the two of them to Paris or Rome, visiting old castles and museums. Then, when they grew older, moving in with each other, in this really small apartment, because they can't afford anything bigger. Just a one room apartment, big mattress in the middle of the room, surrounded with art supplies and pizza boxes.

She thought about Hazel, her little sister, and how she was going to miss her growing up in the probably most goofy, weird and strangest little kid she was ever going to met. She always wanted a little sister. Well, Maya knew she already had a half sister on her father's side, but she wasn't ready to deal with the package that came with her sibling, her father. But, she had Hazel. Strange little Hazel. Hazel, who was going to grow up like those emo/Gothic kids, without Maya to keep her from doing that. Hazel, who already had such beautiful brown little curls, was going to keep them short, without her sister. Okay, Maya just really wanted to give advise to her sister, to help her grow up.

She thought about Riley, Riles, her peaches, her sister, her best friend, the only person she could count on from the very beginning, the person who was going to make it okay, who was preparing her to fight this heavy battle, and that made Maya feel her strength again. She thought about how much it would destroy Riley if Maya died. Riley wouldn't heal from that. They been together almost their whole lives. And they getting staying together.

When she got home, very late in the night, the floor in her bedroom was covert with her friends, who were sleeping on spare mattresses and airbeds. They planned to wait her up and support her in her very first battle, but they all fell asleep. Cute. Maybe this was for the best. Maya was tired of trowing up and being sick. Riley ran out of energy when she had to help Maya. It may seen not much, but it was emotionally dreadful.

* * *

 _day 28_

Her mom didn't want her to go to school. But Maya insisted.  
Since her first chemo she was too nauseous and tired to go to school. Until, two weeks later, now.

She was ready, she told herself.

But that morning , when she was having breakfast at the Matthews.

Maya was weak, and tired and sick. Not that she was showing that. A fair layer of foundation would hide her very pale skin, tired eyes and red spots on her skin.

She wore long sleeves to hide the bruises. She even wore a cap. She was ready.

"Maya, why are you wearing a cap', not so little Auggie asked.

Riley kicked her brother under the table, but Maya just smiled at him.

"C'mon, Peaches, we are gonna be late', Riley said happy. She had trouble hiding her excitement that her best friend was back.

They stood up and walked all there way to the subway, and to school.

Maya doesn't know if she would survive the whole day, but her mother told her she could call her at any time at the day, and she would pick her up.

It was almost a month, and her mother was still so sad. She did her best not to hide it, but every time she looked at her daughter, Katy had this broken expression in her eyes. Maya knows how much her mother loves her. The worst about her sickness is not that Maya is in great pain, but the people around her are in pain. Seeing Maya breaking apart, and there's nothing they can do.

It's only a month since she found out about the cancer. And it was already wrecking Maya's life.

Everything was different. Even school. It looked the same. Boring, dull hallways, and it's even duller students. But the lessons, she understood nothing. Well, she was not gonna lie, she didn't do the homework her friends brought her.

All the number were circles through her head, but she couldn't put them together.

All the Spanish words, French words, even English were all meaningless things to her.

As the minutes ticked by, her energy started to drain. But she held on, not to prove to her friends that she was strong. No, Maya wanted to prove to herself that she was strong.

English lesson was just started, and she had already regretted that when her mom texted her if she was fine, Maya answered that she was.

"Miss Hart, no caps in my classroom."

"Uhm, I can't, miss Julien. I have gum stuck in my hair.', she tried.

"I don't care. Take. It. Off." Miss Julien was as mean as she sounded. Ruthless and even the other teachers were scared of her (so they heard from Mr. Matthews).

"Please', Riley begged, but she was ignored.

"Miss, if you would just read this', Lucas asked, holding a paper which told her about the cancer, but also got ignored.

"I don't get what the fuss is all about, Miss Hart. I asked you to do one simple thing. It is that hard!?"

Maya stood up, ready to storm out of the classroom, but as she walked away, Miss Julien ran towards her and grabbed the cap.

She felt everyone staring at her. She felt her friends staring at her in mercy, and she didn't even had to turn around.

It started two days ago, when she was brushing her hair. A whole strand of hair had fallen off, leaving a very bold spot. Yesterday she was to afraid to brush her hair. But it happened when she was just sitting on the couch. And again this morning when she woke up.

Quickly she stormed to Riley and cried. She wasn't much of a crybaby, but she really loved her hair. It was what defined her. She also loved that there was a chance her hair wouldn't fall out. But the chemo had taken it's toll. Riley assured that nobody was going to notice, and gave her the cap.

But now she was standing in the classroom, leaving everyone, even Miss Julien, to shock. _What was happening to Maya Hart?_

"Leukemia', Maya said shortly, before leaving the classroom and calling her mom, to ask her to pick her up.


	4. Chapter 4

_day 37_

The next few days Maya didn't really felt like going to school. Riley told her that the story about Maya's disease was spreading like a wildfire.

More than a week later she came to school, but quickly went home. Mostly because she had another chemotherapy coming that afternoon. But also because everyone was looking at her.

She wore a purple wig that she gotten from Riley, together with a bunch of crazy hats and scarfs to hide her bold head, that Lucas shaved. All the brighten colored hats and things were to show herself and friends and family that she still was full of life and that she looked positive to the situation. A bunch of her classmates that she knew a long time, like Darby and Sarah, complimented her wig on a neutral way, knowing what Maya's limits were.

But in the hallway she would just _hear_ people saying 'Look, that is the girl who has cancer' 'That's why she is wearing a wig' 'I thought it was for attention'. The teachers looked at her in a sad way, like _you poor thing_. She felt eyes on her when she took her medicine during recess, while she tried taking it so discrete.

It made her sad. She thought she could do this without being the new thing to gossip about. She remembered when she just started to date Lucas that people were doing it too, but this time it was worse.

It made the chemo session horrible. Her bad feeling wasn't going away. It made it worse. She almost broke down. Riley, pulling her in for a hug made it a little bit better. But not much. Mr. Matthews, who brought her to the hospital, rubbed her shoulder in comfort. Her mom would love to take her, as did Shawn, but Maya insisted that they went looking for a preschool for Hazel. Besides, Mr. Matthews loved to take care for his second daughter.

Maya got even sicker after that. She threw up all the way to her house. Mr. Matthews put her in bed, she was to tired to even walk, and Riley promised to stay with her. Together they watched Maya's favorite movie, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and with thanks from all her painkillers, Maya fell in a very pleasant sleep.

When she woke up, Riley was gone, and had Lucas was sitting in her place, doing his homework.

"Well, that is something I thought I'd never would seen', she said, making him smile.

"Yeah, I'm not doing so well in school."

"Why not? It's not me, right?"

"No, no', he lied. He was such a bad liar.

"You know, when you lie, you scratch your nose.', she whispered, and patted on her bed. He sighed, stood up and jumped besides her.

Maya ran her hand through his hair, messing it all up. "Whats up, Cowboy. Honestly?"

"I'm worried about you, Maya', Lucas said quietly. "We all are. But I don't know what to do if you were gone. I worry about it all day. It's all I can think about."

He squeezed her hand. She wanted to get mad, that everyone was thinking that she was dying, that this disease was meaning that she was already dead.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sundance. Then who is going to call you names, picking on you." She squeezed back. She wasn't going to be mad at him. He was in such pain, just like her, but she knew how much she meant for him. There were tears in his eyes. Her Huckleberry.

She actually wanted to break up with him. Not because she didn't love him, oh, she loved him too much. Maya wanted to set him free, let him move on, making it not so hard for him, if, _if_ she would die. But she couldn't. I mean, look at him, almost breaking down for just worrying about her. Breaking up with him would destroy him. Seriously destroy him. And she can't break his heart... Well, not again.

"I know that. I just... Really love you."

She blinked, and then smiled. "I love you too, Ranger Rick." She gave him a little kiss.

"Now go back to work. When you done, I'll give you some more of that."

He laughed, making his eyes shining this happy and heartwarming flow. She felt better instantly. Lucas got up and got to work, while Maya watched him.

God, Maya loved Lucas.

* * *

 _day 92_

It was a horrible day.

Maya and her parents went to the doctor, to hear about the progress.

Maya was tired. Barely three months, and she lost her hair, her energy, her social life, her will.

It was hard to say, but she lost her will to fight, to live. She was sick, and not just the cancer, but sick from the medicines. Sick from what supposed to make her better.

Still, she was too stubborn to give up. One day she will look at her children and say', I had cancer once. But I fought it, with a great battle, and I survived."

If she would ever had children. She read somewhere that chemo increases the chance of a child. She hoped it was not the case.

The doctors told her that she was getting better. The chemo worked and they already saw progress, just a little bit, but it meant a good thing.

It was Riley's birthday. Maya surprised her with a beautiful painting of a old photo of them together.

Riley got all these other great gifts, but whispered in Maya's ear that hers was Riley's favorite. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews weren't at home, and Riley invited a bunch of classmates. Maya was looking forwards to it, slept all day so she would have enough energy.

And they all had such a good time. Maya felt like she was a real teenager again. Dancing with her boyfriend. Secretly drinking some beers that Zay smuggled in. They danced, they laughed, until Maya wasn't feeling so well. She had to sit down. People surrounded her. She waved them off, it was Riley's birthday and she was not going to ruin that. Then she started to throw up. And not regular vomit, but blood.

She ruined it. She ruined her best friends party. Because of her sickness. It was taking another toll.

"We have to call a ambulance', Riley said.

"No, no, I'm fine, honestly. Let's just go back and party!', Maya tried, but her friends weren't buying it. Farkle felt her head. "She is burning up!"

Maya just shook her head.

"Maya', Lucas urged. He grabbed her head gently, so they looked each other right in the eyes.

First, Maya looked away, avoiding his beautiful green eyes. And when she looked at him, she felt a little bit better. "Nobody is angry at you. It's not your fault!"

Lucas backed away, giving her some space. Maya heard Farkle giving the address to the emergency number, and Lucas calling Katy.

Riley said before her. She was wearing a party crown, which suited her pretty face. She was looking older already. Riley just smiled at her and hold her hand. Carefully, she stroked a bloody stroke hair out of her face.

"You made this party a party to remember, peaches. Not because of this. Because of your gift. Because of your presence. I know you did a lot of effort in order to come here. Thank you."

Maya smiled at her best friend. "I'm lucky to have you."

"Thunder?"

"Lighting', Maya whispered.

They didn't need to wait long. They just hold her hand, let the second pile of blood coming, and whispered that she was going to be okay.

At the hospital, they started with test right away.

Her friends waited in the hospital. Her family jointed.

After a little while, Doc came back with the results.

He said a bunch of medical things, things that she could not understand, and choose not to hear them. She didn't wanted to hear how her body was failing. Basically he said, we thought Maya was getting better, but she was getting worse. If she puts up with this any much longer, she is going to die.

Some people, like mom and Riley and Mrs. Matthews started to cry. Lucas excused himself and later came back with bruised hands. Farkle and Zay hold her hands, saying nothing.

Maya didn't react. She just... Didn't listen. She didn't like the bad news, so she choose to ignore it. She wanted to go home, in her comfortable bad, with own pillows, playing something on Netflix and eat popcorn. She let all the bad news pass beside her and move on.

It was this horrible feeling, getting sicker and sicker, while you can't really fight it, but it is taking it's toll. It's destroying you. And not only you, but also the people around you, see you breaking at they can't do anything but telling you that it's going to be alright.

Maya was sinking into a depression because of it.

A single tear escaped her eye.


	5. Chapter 5

_day 109_

Katy stopped with her work. When she had Hazel, she thought she could combine working and taking take of a child, on top of her teenager, who didn't needed so much attention anymore.

When Maya got sick, she still thought that she could combine work, toddler and a very sick teenager. They could use the money, the hospital bills are high and though Shawn earns enough too support _and_ their house _and_ the hospital bills, Katy wanted to contribute, to give her family something extra, to make sure they always have enough clothes (before Shawn, Maya had barely any clothes) and spoil her children and husband.

On Riley's birthday, when Maya was asleep in the hospital, Katy and Shawn where just looking at her. She was so pale and small. She lost almost fifteen pounds already. She had bags under her eyes, from all the tiredness. Her poor baby.

"She is so skinny." Shawn was the first one to speak in hours.

The rest went home, although Riley didn't want too. They told her that they all needed their rest. They told her that Maya needed her rest.

"We should have noticed that something was wrong."

Shawn looked at her, and put his hand on her arm. "Katy, she was hiding it. She doesn't want any of us to worry. That's who she is. She already feels terrible."

"But nothing is her fault!"

"I know', he tried to calm her down. "But she can't help the feeling it is. She just needs more help in this kind of things."

"Maybe I should stop with work', Katy suggested.

Shawn looked at her, with this very surprised expression, which frightened Katy for a second, and then he smiled and kissed her nose.

"I think that's a great idea. I mean, if we cut down some things. Use our saved money, we will make it."

So she quit. She told Maya that she was going to help and support her daughter as much as she could. That she was making sure that Maya wasn't going to have another infection ever again. Katy enjoyed it at one point. She never had much time to relax.

Katy was pregnant of Maya when she still was in high school. She married Kermit. She got Maya. She graduated. She tried to go to college, but they always where short on money. Her own father threw her out of the house. Kermit's parents didn't had much money. So that meant work.

Kermit couldn't keep a permanent job, and when he had a job, he would spend almost all his money on booze, or would gamble it away. And when he left, they even had less money, which meant working double shifts, almost no quality time with her daughter and blisters, for 10 years long. Only when she was pregnant of Hazel, she had single shifts and a little time off.

Now she was constantly with her children. She was afraid that she and Maya would argue a lot, knowing her spicy little thing. But Maya was too tired, too weak, to object and just let it all happen. Her friends came and tried to make her happy, but every time after a chemo, she got slacker until a few days before the next chemo. After that it would all happen again.

And her other daughter was also acting strange. Hazel would not react to her name. She still didn't talk. She would just ignore everyone, and only look TV. She had to take her to the doctor, Katy told herself. But she was focusing to much on making sure Maya was okay and comfortable, that she forgot.

* * *

 _Day 115_

That afternoon Maya had a dream. The not so fun kind.

She died. And not a horrible "I've to spook around because I'm not at peace, kind of death' but the opposite.

She watched her friends going to her funeral. Riley broke down, letting her hold by Farkle. Zay shed a single tear. Lucas, oh her sweet little Huckleberry, stood under a tree, staring to the sun. Maya walked next to him, she knew that he wouldn't see her, but could hear her. "You have to let me go."

"I can't. I won't."

"Please. Do this for yourself."

"No."

The fragment chanced, looking at her friends years from now. Riley and Farkle broke up, claiming that they were just so unhappy. The truth was that Riley was unhappy without her best friend. Farkle was just unhappy seeing Riley unhappy. They broke up, and broke apart. Lucas didn't do so well. He looked pale, shabby. Maya's ghost knew that he was addicted to alcohol to forget his pain. He pushed everyone away who tried to help him, and ending up alone. Zay was a pile of mess, and moved back to Texas, claiming that there was nothing to make him stay in New York. God they looked horrible.

Then they all looked at Maya. "It's your fault', they whispered. "You _died."_

She woke up. It was peaceful in real life. The sun was shining through her bedroom, like a golden flow. She even heard birds whispering, and cars rode by. But she wasn't peaceful.

Riley crawled through her window.

"I don't know how you did that for 10 years, peaches', she said, making her best friend smile.

"You look better!"

"Liar."

"No really!"

Maya sat up straight. She was looking better. She started to have some color on her cheeks. Her eyes were full of life. And she smiled more. She was still skinny, but the bags under her eyes where gone.

Riley liked it when her friend smiled. It reminded how it was, just before she got sick. When she was little, Maya was always angry. At her father for leaving, at her mother for pushing him away, her herself, for not being a better daughter. Then her mom married Shawn, she got over her anger. She had a happy home, one that would stay.

Riley knows the past couple of months been so though on her. She knows that Maya wants to give up if it wasn't for her friends. That's the kind of person Maya is, doing everything, even if it meant to break her own heart, only to keep her friends safe and happy. But every time she wanted to talk about it, Maya would avoid it.

That didn't stop Riley from trying. "You can let go', she told her friend that day.

Maya was holding a stuffed animal, that Riley recognized as a red bull.

"Did I ever told you about how I got these?"

"Maya-"

"We were at the fair in Coney Island and he saw it, thinking it was the perfect present-"

"-I want you to stop changing-"

"-so he spend almost 50 bucks-"

"-can you for once listen?-"

"-and gave it for our one month-"

"MAYA!', Riley screamed.

She looked at her best friend, who had tears in her eyes.

"Listen to me."

"Please', Maya whispered.

"You don't have to fight for us. Maya, we all see how tired you are."

Maya thought of her nightmare. Her friends, who broke because of her.

"We get it. We don't want you to suffer." Riley used the back of her hand to wipe away a tear.

"I don't want to lose you."

"We love you so much."

"You will break apart, Riley. You all will."

Her friend was silent. "Riles, I don't mean like I'm the glue that hold you all together. I just, don't wanna tear you apart from happiness."

"You're afraid that I won't recover."

Maya nodded. Her cheeks were more red than ever, and all wet. This conversation stinks.

"Maya, I will be happy, knowing that you're free. That you're happy. Not sitting here, getting worse and unhappier. If you want to fight, you have to fight for your own, not for the people around you."

Maya was silent for a second, thinking of what her friend was saying. "You all think of this."

Riley nodded.

"You know, someday you're gonna make someone a great therapist." She opened her arms. Her best friend flew right at her and hugged her.

"Nah, to boring. I wanna do something with more action."

They both laughed. For a while they laid like that. Until they fell asleep, embracing each other.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for all the favs/reviews/follows. I'm kinda running out of things, and had a lot of trouble writing this chapter, so if you have any tips or suggestions, please let me know!**


	6. Chapter 6

_day 158_

Maya loved this day. It was a fun day.

When she woke up this morning, she instantly felt better.

Maya felt like this day didn't need her to stay in bed all day, or just sit on the couch. She wanted to make it a special day.

So she called her friends to ask them if they wanted to do something fun. There aren't many of these days, so they all agreed to skip school.

It was still cold, it was February, but the sun shined, and she was happy.

Zay, who was the only one who had a drivers licence, picked them all up.

Maya made sure she had all her medicines with her, and her emergency bracelet with her mom's phone number on it. She left her mom a note, that said that she was at the hospital, spending some time with the younger cancer patients.

It was something that she did sometimes, when she was done with a checkup and saw the sad children in the oncology section. She decided to join them, drawing with them or reading a story.

Her mom could take some time of, Maya thought. Spend time with Hazel, who could use the attention.

She heard knocking on her window. Riley was sitting there, waving to come along.

Maya opened the window, greeted her best friend and came with her.

Maya hoped that this wasn't a bad idea.

Downstairs Lucas was waiting.

He gave her a little kiss. "You sure you wanna do this, Shortstack?"

Maya nodded with a big smile. She had butterfly's in her belly. They all got in the car.

"Hey, Zay! Long time no see', she said.

"Sup Maya. I know right? No worry's, we are making up for it today! We only have to pick up Farkle."

After picking up Farkle, they drove to Coney Island.

She and the Matthews went there when she was little. Maya really loved it, it felt like she was part of a healthy, loving family.

Now she was part of one. But she was the one that was not healthy.

There weren't any waiting lines at the attractions, it was a quiet day. They almost had the park for themselves. It felt like they where queen and kings. Invincible.

They spends hours riding the attractions, playing the games and eating the food.

They made sure that they took enough pictures. They teased Maya and Lucas. They pushed Riley and Farkle closer together. They made sure that Zay didn't feel left out. At the end of the day, they were sitting in the perfect spot, looking over the ocean and the sunset. Lucas pulled her close, kissed her sleep. Riley hold her hand.

Maya enjoyed every second she spend with her friends, because it might be the last time.

Her body was failing. Again. But this time it could be permanent.

* * *

 _Day 181_

When Maya first got leukemia, they examined if Hazel, if she could match her blood or something.

She don't know what it exactly was, it had a medical name, but the point is, Hazel matched.

That meant that a stem cell transplantation. They were gonna take some stem cells from Hazel's bone marrow. Which was going to hurt. And put them in Maya.

"No', she said. "I'm just going to do chemo."

Doc protested, but Maya stood by her point. She was not going to let them hurt her little sister, even if it meant that it was easier to get better. Her sister wasn't some savior sister, she was a person.

But now she was almost dying. On the edge. She decided not to tell her friends, because she wanted them to remember who she was at Coney Island. She didn't want them to get hurt.

But now the cancer was getting worse, the chemo had little to no effect, and the only option she had was from her sister. But Maya couldn't bare to ask that from her. Her little sister, so fragile and small. She didn't even hesitated.

She did her best to hide it from her friends. But they noticed something was wrong. Maya still smiled when they crawled through her window, but she got quieter.

She didn't really go outside anymore, except once a week, when she took a stroll through the park on Friday, with Riley.

Her friends came visit her, but she told them they had their exams. They had to study and learn and focus.

Still, learning from Maya's stubbornness, they visit when they could.

In her room, which she painted purple ages ago. It had two little windows, each beside her bed in the middle of the room. Maya loved her room. It showed her that this were the better times.

Zay came often, asking her about girl advise. He was such a flirt, but really couldn't have a real conversation with them. He told Maya that he met a girl, Lilly, and that she didn't like him, because of his forced methods. After a while, after Maya's tips, he got a real conversation with her, showing who he really was. Lilly liked that.

Farkle came in, reading her a story. He would bring the oldest books, from his father's collection. It was often about the literature, and she liked it. It calmed her, the classy way of how everything was explained. He refused to read books from this century, but Maya didn't mind. Farkle also told her things about school and tried to teach her some things. She didn't tell him that it didn't matter, that she probably wasn't going to school. Ever again.

Riley came almost every morning, telling her about how school was, gossips, giving her messages from her classmates. 'Get better soon.' and that kind of stuff. She told her about her relationship with Farkle, how he was the love of her life, and loved every second with him. Maya loved to hear that.

Riley shared her secrets, she would tell everything on her mind. Maya would tell her what was bothering herself, giving each other advice. When they were together, it was like Maya never was sick. As if nothing had really chanced between them. They were still Thunder and Lighting. For ever.

Riley told her also about the sad things, about how she would often turn backwards, wanting to ask something or say something to Maya, but finding her best friend not sitting behind her. About how she missed going through the hallways without Maya. About every time a teacher said something that had a snarky remark coming, Riley expected Maya to make a remark, but it stayed quiet. Or some kid made one, but as long not so funny as Maya's. About how bad Lucas was doing. He was probably not going to make the exam. He was worrying so much.

Her huckleberry. Her Cowboy. Her Ranger Rick. Her Sundance. Her Hop-along. Her love. He came every day, not missing one. He laughed at how cheesy the advise was that Maya gave to Zay. He fell asleep when Farkle was reading from his book (he wasn't really the literature guy). Riley made him wear headsets and put them really loud, when she wanted to tell Maya secrets. At nights that their other friends weren't with her, he would do anything that would melt your heart. He rubbed her back when she was trowing over. He hold her hand when she didn't felt like saying anything. They just sit there fore hours. He read books to her from this century. He made her favorite disgusting snack, popcorn with cheese and chocolate. He stayed all night, making sure that Maya was safe and sound. Maya loved him so much, staying with her in the hardest time. For loving her, when she was at her worst.

But the time came, that Maya was at her worst.

* * *

 **hi! Thank you all so much for the reviews! I loved every single on of them (even the one in Portuguese, long live Google Translate, right?)! You gave some really good advise, so thank you very much! I know I'm late on the update, but I'm driving home from my vacation, and had to sit 12 hours in the car. Horrible. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter, leave a review if you want, and have a nice day!**


	7. Chapter 7

_day 213_

She was laying on the cold ground. Not because she wanted to, but she had fallen up and couldn't get up. She couldn't even scream for help. Do you know how that feels, to be so weak that you can't even get up?

How long was she laying there? Half a hour? A hour? She felt the sun moving. She felt the day passing, while she couldn't do anything.

After a while her mom came into her room, wondering why it was so quiet in her room, and founding her little girl on the ground.

Quickly she lifted her up and but her on the bed. Maya's nose started to bleed, indicate that there was something really wrong. Katy called the hospital, and they rushed to get her.

Maya didn't react to it. She was to tired. She could barely sit up straight.

In the hospital Katy and Shawn got the worse news two parents could ever hear. 'There's nothing I can do. She probably can't make it through the night.'

Heartbroken they called Maya's friends. They came rushing in, finding a very peaceful little Maya laying in the hospital bed. She was skinnier that ever, and again pale. She had nosetubes in her nose to help her breathe. She wasn't wearing a had of wig or any makeup. She was just Maya.

Riley cried when she grabbed her hand and stroked her hair out of her face.

"Don't worry, I'm not in pain', she said softly, holding her hand. Riley backed out, needing some air.

Farkle took her place. "You always will be my first fake-wife." She smiled a little when he kissed her head.

"We still didn't dance, cupcake." He squeezed her hand good. Then he also kissed her on the head.

Cory and Topanga hugged her, all in tears. They couldn't believe they were saying goodbye to someone who knew knew for so long, but still so young. "You did good, honey', they told her.

Auggie even came and hugged her, whispering in her ears', You were always my sister, right?"

"Right', she whispered back.

Her sister, laying next to her on the bed, had probably no idea what was going on. She just looked at her sister, like she always did, and smiled. A month ago, her mom finally took her to the doctor. Conclusion: Hazel Hunter was deaf. A thing they didn't suspect, due to the tests they do on baby's when they are little. She had reacted well to the hearing test. She had reacted on noises a year ago. But now, completely deaf. Her mom blamed herself of course, for not noticing sooner. But Maya told her not to worry. Hazel was a rare case and there was nobody to blame.

Now, she still was deaf of course. But it all made sense. Her mom and Shawn had picked a very fancy daycare for her, but now she was already going to a special daycare for children with hearing trouble. "Bye little Hazel', Maya said. Hazel looked at her sister, suddenly very sad and hugged her.

Shawn hugged her like his life depended on it. "You are my daughter, you know that right?"

She nodded.

"Good. I love you kiddo."

Her mom hold her in her arms.

"You know, when you were born, you was so tiny. Like a little doll. Smaller that the most children. When I first hold you, I thought you were gonna break. So tiny and fragile." She kissed her daughters head, over and over again. Afraid to let her little girl go. But she had to.

Lucas didn't say anything for a couple of minutes. He couldn't even look at her. The love of his live, was going to be taken away so soon.

But then he almost ran to her and flew in her arms. Lucas burst into tears. "Don't go."

Maya couldn't say anything. She just simply held on to her huckleberry. He made her feel safe.

He gave her a little kiss. She never felt more loved.

Riley was gone for some minutes, but when she came back, everyone went to the waiting room, giving the girls some space.

"You weren't suppose to let go."

Maya looked at her best friend in pain, tears were again welling up in her eyes.

"I spend almost my whole life with you. I don't know what to do without you', Riley cried, hugging Maya. "You were the person a always could count on, the person that mattered the most. The one that knew all my secrets and gave me the best advise. Why are you doing this to me? Why. Why are you leaving me?"

She was quiet, for a few minutes. Maya knew that Riley wasn't really angry. She was trying to distant herself, even this last minute. Riley knew how much it would exactly hurt when Maya was gone.

"I love you, with whole my heart, peaches. You are my soulmate, my sister, my one true love, and I will always, always love you."

"I love you too.', Maya whispered, with her final strength. Riley hugged the girl, and didn't let go.

Her friends slowly came back to the room, sitting there whole night, just being with Maya.

It was not sad. Okay, maybe a little sad, but they all knew Maya didn't want to die in so much sadness. So they cracked jokes, ordered some pizza and Chinese, Shawn, Topanga and Cory told stories about their reckless childhood, Zay and Lucas told weird and crazy stories about Texas. But every time the machine beeped, they got scared. Then they were suddenly very close to the end of Maya. But Maya didn't let go. All night they waited, they waited for their friend to pass, but see the point is, she didn't.

She didn't die.

Maya was a miracle, a true survivor.

Why didn't she die, you ask?

She didn't wanted to. She was not ready to leave.


	8. Chapter 8

**For that real dramatic and emotional feeling, read this while listening to Yann Tiersen- comptine d'un autre été**

 _Day 256_

Maya didn't die, and everyone was shocked about how much strength she had left in her. They realized that night that she didn't want to die. She herself realized that too. She was so young, had so much to learn and had such a bright life ahead after this war with her sickness.

She had all this things she still wanted to do, so she made a bucketlist. And the showed it to Riley and her friends.

They promised her, that they would do anything her their power to make her bucketlist come true.

 _Bucketlist._

 _1\. Learn sign language for Hazel_

 _2\. Travel to Europe_

 _3\. Go skydiving_

 _4\. make a memories album_

 _5\. drive-in movie_

 _6\. see a psychic_

 _7\. put a lock on a lovebridge_

 _8\. Meet my other siblings._

 _9\. Forgive my father_

 _10\. get a small tattoo with my bff_

 _11\. graduate_

It was kinda big, but they would make her dreams come true. Because that's the kind of friends they are. Maya would do the same for all of them, without hesitation.

They all collected some money. They emptied their piggy-banks, they asked their parents, grandparents, neighbors, teachers, fellow-students, if they would donate some money to make a little sick girl's dreams come true. They had more than enough money, especially when Farkle asked his parents, who had enough money to spare.

Due to Maya's sickness, she still had nosetubes and mostly sat in a wheelchair. She tried to be strong sometimes and just walk, but she would fail. It was also a lot of trouble to take the oxygen with her, but they managed.

They started at the beginning, and signed Maya up for sign language lessons, with her parents and of course Hazel. Every week they would go, they would learn and it was as much family bonding as it was. After six months they got their certification. Katy told everyone how horrible they actually were at the course, and it was a miracle that they pass the final test. Of course, they didn't knew all the sign language, and Hazel was only 3, so they had more to learn, but it was a good beginning. It was also a miracle that Maya and Hazel weren't thrown out. She wouldn't tell why, but the look on her face said enough.

Meanwhile they would continue the bucketlist. They all jumped with her together of the plane. It was the most scariest, most trilling thing they ever did. Especially for Riley, who was a fear of heights. But it was amazing! They jumped right when the sun went down, and it was the most beautiful thing Maya had ever seen.

She and her Huckleberry went to the closest drive-in cinema they could find, and ended up in one that only showed foreign movies. It was perfect, although they couldn't understand any of it. This movie was in Dutch, they believed. _Achste groepers huilen niet._

It was a movie about a girl who had cancer, but was only 12 years old. They couldn't make much of the movie without subtitles, but it was a beautiful and touching movie. Maya loved it, and Lucas too. It was one of the most romantic nights of their live.

They went to see a psychic. Her name was Arcadia, which meant beyond the grave. Maya asked her if she could talk to her grandmother, May Clutterbucket, who died a few years ago.

At the end Farkle didn't believe it at all, said it was all bullshit, but Maya believed it. She told her friends that the things Arcadia told her were all true, some things that she had never told anyone, not even Riley. Her friends didn't care if it was real of not, as long as Maya believed it, they were happy.

Maya and Riley got a tattoo. Maya got a peach on her wrist, and Riley a honey. Under Maya's stood, thunder. Under Riley's it stood, lightning. Riley cried, while Maya was laughing at her. They agreed that this was the finest piece of art.

Then came the emotional hardest part of the bucketlist. Her father.

He lived in the suburb of Long Island. She drove there with Zay. The whole ride she was quiet. When they finally got there, it was exactly what they expected.

A normal home, front yard full of children stuff. Inside messy, but lovely.

Maya's stepmom was a wonderful lady named Lois. She had dark brown hair and a friendly smile. She saw why her father had fallen for her. Maya and Zay spend all day playing with Maya's siblings, Daisy and Aiden. Real hipsternames.

Aiden was the oldest of the two, nearly nine years old. He looked a lot like his father, the same beachy surfer hair. He liked Maya a lot and showed him all his barbie's. Barbie's? Yes, Barbie's. He didn't want to play with anything else, and often his sister would join in. Maya was under the impression that he was a little bit gay. Which was totally fine. He was adorable. And Maya was glad that he had the nerve to be himself and didn't care about that he was playing with girl toys.

His little sister was 6 and three quarters, she told Maya. She looked like her mother, the same hair and smile (missing her front teeth, cute!), but with her father's eyes. _Maya's eyes._

She also looked a little bit like Maya. But she was adorable. She loved to play with the barbies with her brother, but not always, because sometimes her brother would get bossy. She also loved to draw, just like Maya. Daisy would get bullied, but she was fierce and fight back. A real sassmaster.

They asked why Maya didn't had any hair and why she had that weird thing on her face. "Daisy! Aiden!', their mom said, completely embarrassed. But Maya assured Lois that it was totally fine, and explained to her siblings that Maya was a little bit sick and the medicine made her hair go away. She had also trouble with breathing, that's why the nosetubes. She let them tried it on. "It tickles!', they giggled.

At the end of the evening, when they had gone to bed, Maya had a real conversation with her father.

She explained that his absence was horrible. How her mother and she were thrown out of the house where they lived, and had to move in with her grandmother, the mother of Kermit. But she passed away when Maya was twelve. How his absence made her mother real sad, almost depressive if Maya hadn't pulled her back. How her mother had to work so hard that she barely was home. How Maya herself had spend many night crying, wondering if she had done anything wrong, wondering what made her left. Maya told him that how it all effected her relationships, how she was afraid of commitment, because she was always scared she would end up just like her parents. How she and Lucas spend years around each other, but never really became a couple because Maya was scared thanks to him.

Maybe if her parents broke up years ago, but if he didn't leave, if would've gone all better.

Kermit thanked her for sharing that and told her he was sorry.

Then came his side of the story.

Katy was pregnant in high school, and that was a lot of pressure. He married Katy and dropped out to find a job, but without diploma couldn't find a real job. And then came Maya, and a baby caused for a lot of stress. On order to work at day and take care of the baby at night, he started to do drugs, to keep his energy. Just to keep up with his family and job. But it started to consume him. He started to fight a lot with Katy, and he left a few times. Sometimes he crashed with friends, and still had contact with Katy and Maya. It was just for a few days, but they always ended up together again.

On Maya's 4th birthday, he was supposed to watch her for a little bit in the park, but lost her for hours because he was on drugs.

At that moment, he realized he couldn't stay in this family, not with his drug addiction. He was only doing worse for them then doing good. So he kissed Maya goodnight, and told Katy that he went out for a walk. He didn't came home, because he entered himself to rehab. His dumb ass thought it would only take a week or two, and he often left his family longer than that, so he thought it was fine. When he would came back, he was clean, so it was worth the shot.

It took him two years to become completely clean, but at that time, he was too embarrassed tom come home. He missed two years of his baby's life!

Kermit told Maya that he saw her once, when she was seven and sitting in the park with Katy and a little friend. He saw how well they were doing, and decided to go away. Leave them be.

He found a little job, took night classes to get his high school diploma. There he met Lois, who also had a troubled past. They got married and they got children. Kermit didn't told Lois about Maya until Maya had send that letter for school.

He didn't wanted to reach out after that, because he saw how broken and angry Maya was. He didn't knew about her sickness either and was broken to see it now. Kermit thanked Maya for still reaching out to him.

Maya was still a little bit angry, but she understood now. She wasn't a little kid anymore, who couldn't see a coin on two sides. And what was the purpose of still being mad about something that happened years ago, combined with the time Maya still had left. She saw in the same blue eyes how absolutely sorry he was, and how hard it was for him too.

She forgave him, and agreed that they agreed to spend more time together.

It was a real emotional day, but she was glad it turned this way.

She thanked her friends for crossing all those things of the bucketlist.

Then they all stared at her confused. "What do you mean, Maya? It's not even done!"

* * *

 **This was a real hard chapter to write. I started over like four times, didn't knew how to start, etc. But I think it turned out pretty well? I dunno, lemme know what you think! And i'm SO sorry for last chapter, I saw all the reviews and realized how many of you I made cry... But thank you for the reviews, they meant a lot to me! Love, me**


	9. Chapter 9

_Day 284_

Although it wasn't on her bucketlist, they still knew that Maya would love it. They took her to prom.

They had it all planned out. The rented a limo, they bought her a beautiful dress (Maya has a very difficult taste in fashion, so it's was hard to say what she would absolutely love), Lucas brought her a corsage that matched the dress. They didn't told her what they had planned for her. They all went behind her back, pulling everyone in the conspiracy. Riley showed up a hour before, and told her to do her makeup and (if she wanted too) her wig. Maya wore a wig that looked exactly like Maya's old hair that she got from Riley for her 18th birthday. She looked like her old self. Maya realized how much she has chanced. She still had to wear the tubes though, but it didn't matter. Her best friend had planned something exciting, judging from that huge smile. Maya tried to squeeze out of her what she had planted, and normally Riley was very bad in keeping secrets, but she did not say a word. Then she told her to but on the dress.

Maya absolutely loved the dress. It was a baby blue 50's based dress, with on top lace polka dots, on the bottom a giant tulle, fabricated by a ribbon, and on the behind a bow. It was the most perfect dress she could ever imagine.

Her best friend was so beautiful. With her hair pinned up and a fairytale-like purple dress with sparkles, she looked no more amazing as ever. Maya saw how much Riley had grown into an adult. How absolutely gorgeous she had become.

Then the guys came pick them up. When Lucas came in, he stared at her for a minute. Just to take it all in. She softly smiled at him and told him not to be such a huckleberry.

He laughed and gave her the corsage. Katy took a bunch of pictures, Shawn doing his best not to cry. He also gave Lucas a serious look, _if you hurt my baby girl, I will personally show you hell_

In the limo, Maya never felt so much joy. She was standing through the window with Riley, yelling that they were invisible.

At prom they danced. All of them. With each other. It was the most fun, and loving moment of Maya's life.

They didn't took basic prom photo's, I mean, these people are anything BUT basic. They took all these crazy, silly pics that they were always going to remember.

Unlike in the cliches, nobody from the five was voted as prom king and queen. A popular jock and a overrated barbie doll got that price, but Maya had a very warming welcome. Above the hotel lobby read a banner on which it said', GO MAYA!" and everyone cheered when she stepped in.

She squeezed every single one of her friends and thanked them for making this happen.

After a little bit of dancing they decided to go to the McDonalds, and they spend there almost the hole night, laughing, eating, talking about their biggest dreams in the future, how their college will be like, everything.

Farkle and Zay were going to NYU, with great difficulty. Lucas had to do over his exams and then he would join them. Maya had taken this online school, and maybe could graduate in the summer vacation. Riley didn't wanted to start college without her best friend, so she took a gap year, spending her free time working at Topanga's.

Maya was attending a special school at the hospital, were they would give you a little bit of homework so you can keep up. Maya was planning on taking her exam that summer, but didn't knew if that was going to be so easy.

Next year, sick or not, she was attending NYU with her best friend.

Riley also convinced everyone to rent an loft in New York. Maya had been to in once, and it was the cutest ever. It was so big, with four bedrooms and a large living room. Maya wanted to join them, but she knew she couldn't. And she didn't wanted to be a burden.

At the Mac they also talked about fun stuff, stuff to laugh about.

Prom night was sure a night to remember.

* * *

 _Day 312_

They were going to do it. Maya couldn't remember the last time that she was so excited.

After months of arranging, planning, convincing and a thrown pineapples (don't ask), they finally got to do it.

They were going to Europe.

They went with the Minkus Private Jet (serious Farkle?) to Paris, where they stayed a whole week. After 18 hours the plane landed. Due to their jet-lag they rested the first day, but the follow ups were hard to compare.

In that week they did such as climb the Eiffel Tower, to see the sunset. Privilege to cancer, they didn't had to wait in lines, which was a good thing, because Riley has the blather of a squirrel. They went to the Louvre, but were a little disappointed when they saw the Mona Lisa, because, seriously, so small?

They went to the Arc De Triomphe, and took a lot of pictures. They also wanted to go to Sarce-Coeur, but all those stairs were difficult and exhausting for Maya, so they decided to do that another time. They walked through Montmartre, and admired the artwork. The Notre Dame, which was so beautiful (Zay, Lucas and Riley only recognized it because of The Hunchback of the Notre Dame, of course).

Zay bought a sappy 'I heart Paris' tee and Riley and Maya a cap. Lucas refused to buy something like that, but ended up with a matching tee with Zay. Farkle bought little Eiffel towers for everyone, so they had a souvenir that connected all of went on a day trip to Palace of Versailles, and got a hold on a golf cart, because otherwise they had to push Maya in the wheelchair for 4 hours in pebbles, which wasn't really a option.

Zay complained the whole day about being to damn hot, and his friends reminded him that he could walk to trough the palaces.

Of course Maya and Riley shopped a little bit, I mean, how can you go there and not going shopping, and dragged the boys with them. They went to all these little cute restaurants, and parks, and souvenir shops to make sure they had enough souvenirs for their family and friends.

They stayed in a youth hostel, which was horrible. After the first day Farkle and Riley got in a fight with the owner of the hostel who was a impossible man. The pictures on their site were nothing like a hostel itself, dirty bed sheets, holes in the walls, no service, and like, five stairs with no elevator, and Maya and Zay got in a fight with some people from Belgium, who were challenging them. So they went to another hotel which was more reasonable and decent, but they never had so much fun in a horrible hotel.

After that week, they went to Amsterdam, The Netherlands for three day.

They visited the Anne Frank house (after standing in line for almost two hours). For Maya was it terrible because there wasn't a elevator, but a LOT of stairs, and Maya was out of breath before she got through the first stairs. After that they had enough of

They went also shopping, and even visited a Coffeeshop. Funny enough, they can't do anything in the US because they are only 21 years old. In The Netherlands you can do anything at the age of 18. And because everyone of them was 18 (and Lucas 19) they were free to do anything they want.

So they smoked weed (oh, so bad), because they wanted to know what it was like. But they said that they didn't feel anything

They went to restaurants and had so much fun, that the people were looking their way because of Zay's very loud laugh.

Riley made them all go to the bench from The Fault in our stars. They reenacted the stupid bench scene, and took a bunch of pictures.

Next and last was Venice, Italy.

They didn't do much there. That was the 'chill place'. They sat in a Gondola, they went to restaurants. Maya and Lucas had romantic day.

After the pizza they went for a walk (Maya didn't want to sit in the wheelchair anymore), and came upon a bridge.

"I know it's not a love bridge, but..." He showed her a lock that said "S+H"

For a second Maya was confused, but then remembered their nicknames in high school. "Short-stack of pancakes+Huckleberry". She had to kiss his stupid face. It's was so unbelievably cheesy, that she absolutely loved it.

"We are going to stay forever, right?', he asked her.

"I don't know, Huckleberry, are we?"

He smiled really big. "Yes, we are."

When he pulled her in for another kiss, something happened.

Maya fell on the ground.


	10. Chapter 10

**A extra long chapter for the people who had to wait. I'm so sorry, but that writersblock wouldn't get away. I still have a kind of writersblock, so I don't know when the next chapter is coming.**

 **MonicaLove, you get better soon, okay?! And guest, yes, I know that sometimes I make writing errors, but English isn't my first language. But still thank you for pointing out that error!**

 **Anyways, this chapter is about how I experienced Girl Meets Creativity through a lookback at the beginning of Maya and Lucas' relationship. Woops. Those were spoilers. Enjoy!**

* * *

Most people would say that a bleeding nose isn't that bad. For example, Auggie has one every time he gets too excited. But was really adorable and creepy at the same time. This happened ever since he was a baby, and Topanga and Cory had him tested out, afraid that there was something wrong. But it was all fine.

But Maya on the other hand, was a different case. She was sick, she had cancer. She might never get better. Free bleeding noses, for the rest of her life, yay!

Every time she had a bloody nose, it meant that there was something seriously wrong. They rushed her to the Italian hospital.

Maya stayed calm the whole time. She never felt better. This whole vacation she never felt like she had cancer, like she was bald, like she had spend the past year laying in her bed. She felt just like a normal, healthy teenage girl who was having the time of her life with her boyfriend and her best friends. Of course everything had to be ruin. She just wanted to go home.

But she couldn't. How much she begged it the ambulance, they said no. Lucas said that that wasn't really a option now. Lucas was on the phone with everybody. He called Riley, Farkle and Zay to come to the hospital. He called Katy and Shawn, telling them that there was something wrong. He even called his mother, the only person next to Maya who could calm him. She could hear the panic, the slight tremble, in his voice. She could her her Huckleberry being even more scared than that she was.

In the hospital she looked at her huckleberry while they took her blood pressure and asked her some questions . His soft green eyes. That look only could make her meld into pudding, ever since she fell in love with him. She remembers when it all happened. Of course she couldn't forget, it happened on the most important days of her life.

In Middle School, final year, they were about to take away the art classes, along with all the creative classes they offered at their school. They were going to take away Maya's art lessons. The only thing she enjoyed to do. Ever. The only place where she could work in peace, let all of her fears, anger, and insecurities. And Lucas, Huckleberry, Ranger Rick, Sundance, Hop-A-Long, wasn't going to let that happen.

When he said that. When he said that he wanted Maya to grow, for Maya to be happy, Maya felt something she had never experienced before. Not with all the boys she had briefly dated. Not even with that cute uncle of Riley.

It was at that moment, even though Maya had never been nice to him. Though without Riley or Farkle at that moment, they wouldn't even be talking to each other. She always thought she disliked him for being such a cliche dreamboat, flirting beanback, a lady killer. But he was a gentle, he actually _cared_ for her. And for her happiness. At that moment he truly showed what he really meant for Maya. How Maya affected him. Even when Zay was teasing that they were just staring at each other. God knows what he was thinking, but what she was thinking, oh boy. She thought about what a wonderful person he was, to be able to say that, about her, when she did nothing but insult him. She did nothing nice for the cliche, but then she realized that he was so much more. More than only the potential lover of her best friend. More that the best friend of Farkle, then a jock. He was a good person, someone who cares, really cares, about people's feeling. He would do so much effort in making other people happy. He would do effort in making Maya happy. She felt butterfly's for the cowboy at that moment. She realized that all the teasing had turned into flirting, without them noticing. Maybe the people around them had noticed. But not Maya and Lucas. Maya realized that this wonderful boy, might care for her too. She all could see that in his eyes. But she couldn't do anything. Riley was crushing on him, and Maya was not going to ruin her friendship with Riley. Not with the most wonderful person in the whole world. Riley's happiness is so much more important than hers. If Riley is not happy, Maya has to look at her honey, the only person who can make her feel better when she's a little bit off. If Riley is not happy, Maya is not. If Maya is not happy, well, at least one of them is then happy.

Only years after that, after tangling around each other, they had been through a lot. The love-triangle, which was the most stupidest thing in their lives, ever! She was always grateful that it didn't ruin her friendship with Riley.

Then came the moment when Riley backed out, because she suddenly saw the undeniable passion between her friends. Riley had opened her eyes, and saw the teasing turned into flirting, the secret looks they gave each other in class, the time Lucas spend at Maya's, helping her with her homework, and Maya cheering so loud for Lucas at the baseball field, watching his every step. She saw the people who meant most to her falling for each other more, and were just afraid to hurt Riley. They were selfless, and it was time to return them the favor.

Riley, Zay and Farkle had spend a lot of time on this. They planned every detail on bringing their friends together. They decorated the living room of Riley's apartment in a beautiful diner sphere. Riley made sure that Auggie was staying with Ava over the night, and her parents were on a date the whole night. Farkle took care of the rose leaves, music and background restaurant noise (they discussed it like five times, but Farkle wouldn't fear how stupid it was). Zay took care of the food, with Maya's quatro formaggi pizza on the way and Lucas Nasi Goreng. They texted them to be in Riley's apartment at exactly 7:00 pm. Lucas had to came through the front door, and Maya through the Bay window, so that they didn't ran in to each other on the way in and ruin the surprise. This much effort, and the one thing that they couldn't prevent.

On her way to the Matthews apartment, after getting that very strange next from Riley, Maya fell against a very cute boy, named Jackson, in the subway. They got to talk and before they realized, Maya missed her exit. When they finally got of, the subway's weren't working anymore due to a glitch in the system. And though she wanted to walk (Riley's home was only five blocks away), when the cute boy asked if she wanted to get a drink, she couldn't refuse. Maya thought she was so in love with this boy. Little did she knew that she fell in love with a concept, with the idea of a very good excuse to back out from the triangle. Sure, she had those sparkling feelings for her cowboy, she didn't really knew what those feelings meant. Not even when Jackson kissed her after he brought her home.

Lucas had come there, all confused, to a romantic diner scene, with nobody around. He called Riley, asked her why he had to come and where she was. All confused because of Maya's absence, she called her best friend, but she wasn't picking up. Starting to panic, they called everyone, but in vain. So when Maya was all smiley and blown away by that kiss, opening her front door, she didn't expected all her friends and her parents sitting there and looking at her in misery. "What the fuck!?', Maya yelled. Jackson ran back to see what was happening.

"Maya who is _that_ _?"_

She felt her cheeks becoming hot. "Uh, guys, this is Jackson. Jackson, these people are the friends who are always crossing boundaries."

"Hi."

Riley was furious, how become her master plan fail so hard? This is the opposite of what she wanted. But Lucas was just sad. I mean, he and Maya were nothing but friends, and they both knew that. So he tried his best to forget her. And the best way to do that is by dating another girl.

Their little gang fell apart, from Maya and Lucas estranging from each other, and Riley and Zay taking sides. Farkle, as the fake husband of Maya and the best friend of Lucas, when from side to side. That were the most horrible weeks of their friendships.

Until that party. That godforsaken party. Maya and he got to talk, when they weren't really sober. They were standing next to the pool, what was already a bad idea. She drunkenly told him about all her stupid mistakes and letting go of him was the worst of them. Lucas knew what she was talking about. So he kissed her. It was a quick kiss, because Maya pulled back, completely shocked. Riley saw it all of course, and she pushed them into the pool. "Now, kiss!', she yelled at them. They kissed, and oh, that sweet passionate kiss. Maya felt sparks, flying around everywhere. She felt his tighten grip, she felt that sweet sensation. Everyone cheering, they all saw it long coming. Ever since they were elected 'cutest couple', so many years ago. Zay was handing 20 bucks to Farkle, in his deepest regret.

After that, Lucas brought Maya home. Crawling through her window of the new apartment, she asked if he wanted to come in. He did came in.

She felt the heat running through her body, the adrenaline. The felt the magic of booze, making her much more relaxed and giddy. She pulled him in for another kiss, this one was longer, more with emotions. He pulled her up, gripping her backside and almost pushed her against the wall.

Maya pushed him a little bit away, so she could see his beautiful eyes. Those green sparkles. They were making her melt on the inside.

She pulled him in for another kiss, and she still could taste the alcohol of his lips.

After that was just a blur, but they knew what happened.

They knew that what they did, chanced everything. And they didn't even care. At first they weren't labeling anything. They didn't want to yet. But they were acting like a couple. Like, the whole time. Holding hands, sneaky kisses in the locker rooms, even sneakier spending nights at each other. But never ever did they used the words such as Girlfriend and Boyfriend.

Riley getting so frustrated that eventually locked them up in Riley's room (locking the bay windows) and forced them to realize what they are. After 5 hours without any food and eventually no Wi-Fi, they gave up, Riley was too strong.

 _Boyfriend and girlfriend,_ they told Riley. Of course, the whole school knew it already.

And when they were dating for only a few months, she got sick and he never left his side.

Not even now.

"Lucas, what..."

He looked at her, kissed her head and smiled softly.

The rest of her friends came rushing in. Riley held back her tears, but she saw how scared she was. How scared they all were.

She pulled them up close for a group hug. She reassured that they all were going to be alright.

Turns out, that they had nothing to worry about. Maya had a little small infection in her kidneys, and combined with activities, even walking, had exhausted her. She was hospitalized for two days.

After that, she finally got to go home.


	11. Chapter 11

**After a heavy few days of squeezing this out of me, I finally managed to write something. I hope you guys like it! And thank you for all the heartwarming reviews, I love you guys so much! Maybe we can reach 50 after this chapter? Pretty pleeaassee :)**

* * *

 _Day 354_

"How do you know that it will work? It didn't the last time', Katy said. Maya could hear the angst in her voice. Her hands were trembling.

"It seems our only hope, Miss Hunter. Maya's body isn't reacting to the chemo anymore. If we don't try it, Maya will die."

Doc seems indifferent about it. Like it was something he told daily. He never looked like that. He always had this happy attitude, something very enthusiastic and interested.

Maya looked at Hazel, who was sitting in a corner, playing with the toys.

Shawn grabbed Katy's hand. "It's the last time, Katy. Then it will be over."

"I'm not so sure about that, Mr. Hunter. If Maya's body will accept Hazel's bone marrow, but it's not enough, we have to take more."

Shawn put his hand over his mouth, like everyone with a beard does. Maya always thought it was a funny movement.

"Do it."

Maya looked shocked at her mother. After the last bone marrow transplantation, well, let's just say that Hazel did not enjoy it. Maya thought that Katy never wanted to do that to Hazel again.

"No!', Maya said. All this time she was afraid something like this would happen. Ever since the first time Hazel gave her bone marrow, they would want more, and more, and more. And Hazel would be the one who would suffer. "Please. I don't want to do that to Hazel."

Katy looked at her daughter. Maya had a healthy color on her cheeks. She didn't had her tubes in anymore. Her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes, had their shining glow back. But Katy knew that it all could go away very quick. And she wanted to stop that.

"Maya, it's okay. We will try it one more time. After that, no more."

She looked at her baby sister. _She will suffer._ She looked at her parents. _They will suffer more if I die._ She looked at Doc. _What if it doesn't work?_

Hazel ran up to Maya and showed her a toy. She looked happy.

 _Pretty,_ she signed. Hazel laughed, and tried climbing on her lab

"Fine, I'll do it."

* * *

 _Day 274_

Maya hated it, seeing her sister fighting back at the people who were supposed to removing the bone marrow. She was screaming and Maya almost broke down.

Riley pulled her away from the glass, hugging her.

"You had to do it, Peaches. She will be fine and you will be fine. When she is older you can tell her that she saved her sister."

For a brief moment Maya was afraid that Hazel would remember this when she grew up. Would she look at her sister and look at her like Maya hurt her.

"She won't', Riley said. Damn, that girl could read her mind. Maya was officially scared of Riley's powers.

The whole bone marrow transplantation was very exhausting, physical and emotional, but it was worth it.

Because after three weeks, they were all sitting in Topanga's, drinking at talking, when Maya got a phone call.

The phone call that she, Maya hart, after one year, one week, and two days, she was cancer free.

They celebrated with too much booze and a big hangover.

The whole year Riley and Maya worked together at as barista's at a local hipster coffeehouse. The rest of their free time they spend time at their awesome loft. Lucas, Farkle had much stress and fun at the community college (Farkle's father almost killed him when he turned down Harvard AND Yale). After a year Maya and Riley joined them. They had so much fun.

Maya was glad that she worked so hard to survive, she really had the best days of her life.

Sometimes, when she is upset, she looks at the scrapbook her friends made for her. It was the final piece to her bucketlist and she burst into tears when Riley handed it to her on the day she heard she was cancer free.

The scrapbook contained all the fun stuff, their vacation in Europe or Coney Island. But also before she got sick.

That time they spend a whole day it the park, picnicking. She touched the picture of her and Zay jumping into the fountain. They had splashed everyone, forcing them to join. They got into Riley's apartment, all soaking wet, pissing of Topanga. They were laughing their asses off, and watched some kind of horror movie from the 80's about a creepy clown. Riley couldn't sleep for nights.

In the book was also a page from when Riley and Maya were kids, and went on a camping trip with Cory and Topanga. Maya remembers when they asked her if she wanted to go camping with them, and Maya had cried because she had never ever been on a vacation.

Her mom wasn't really rich (it was right after her father left), and their 'fancy' day means McDonalds and renting a movie.

But it was one of the greatest vacations ever!

She looked at the page with her sister. Oh, little Hazel. She had grown up so beautiful. Her beautiful curls now came till her butt, and her beautiful eyes glow up every time Maya tickled her. Hazel was very talented in violin, although she can't hear, she can feel the vibrations. She is very good at it, for only seven years old! Maya loved her sister.

Maya looked at the the page about her and Lucas. It was so cute. Farkle had been secretly photographing them at school, when they were in their pre-dating phase. And all the pictures, of Maya kissing him after a game, of them dancing in class for no reason. Farkle, Zay and Riley even stalked them on their first date, so they could make sure that their friends were alright and having a good time. Lucas en Maya caught them, and they just jointed the diner. She loves Lucas, but it was so much more fun that way. And she had Lucas for herself the whooooole night...

Maya loves her scrapbook. It's the greatest, most beautiful piece of art she'd ever seen. Her life was perfect right now. Well, not really perfect.

* * *

 _Day 1457_

Maya walked into Topanga's. Everyone was sitting there, looking at her all confused. It was Friday, and on Friday they would drink at Topanga's before going all out to diner. But Maya's face, was almost scared, but doing her best to keep it neutral.

"I have something to tell you guys."

"Om my god, you're pregnant', Riley claimed. Maya's eyes went big.

"What?"

"C'mon peaches! I know the signs of pregnancy! You've been trowing up, mood swings, especially moody. You barely eat because of the morning sickness.', Riley claimed.

Maya saw all the excited faces of her friends, especially of Lucas. But she didn't look happy. She wasn't. It was true, she had been trowing up, she was moody, she missed her period, and she had cravings. And she did go to the doctor.

"I have leukemia again."

But she was also having nosebleeds and bruises all over her body. Maya knew she wasn't pregnant. God, she wanted to be pregnant. Not this. Not now.

All their faces dropped.


End file.
